"Literary giant Haruki Murakami is set to release his first novel in three years in April, publisher Bungeishunju Ltd. said Feb. 16.

His last major work was in April 2010, when “1Q84: Book 3,” the final volume of a trilogy, was released by Shinchosha Publishing Co.

Murakami, famed for “Norwegian Wood” and other works, has long been tipped to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

In the meantime, he has translated into Japanese Shel Silverstein’s “Giving Tree,” published by Asunaro Shobo, and “Ozawa Seiji-san to Ongaku ni Tsuite Hanashi o Suru” (I talk with Mr. Seiji Ozawa about Music), a talk with the world renowned maestro, published by Shinchosha."

Damn, I haven't even started 1Q84 so will have to get going. I'm a fan although I have no doubt that Wind up Bird won't be topped.

There is a good chance this being a prequel for 1Q84 or even fourth part. At least that what's Murakami hinted in Spain some year ago. I really hope this is something totally new. Well, I know it's going to be about a everyday man thrown into bizarre situation and him not giving up his everyday man manners while dealing with the bizarre situation.

There is a good chance this being a prequel for 1Q84 or even fourth part. At least that what's Murakami hinted in Spain some year ago. I really hope this is something totally new. Well, I know it's going to be about a everyday man thrown into bizarre and him not giving up his everyday man manners.

There is a good chance this being a prequel for 1Q84 or even fourth part. At least that what's Murakami hinted in Spain some year ago. I really hope this is something totally new. Well, I know it's going to be about a everyday man thrown into bizarre and him not giving up his everyday man manners.

Nobel usually don't go to writers like Murakami. I don't really know if it's going be a story about 30 something year old man who gets thrown into odd situation but when dealing with Murakami it's a safe bet.

I bet it will contain ear porn, a lonely man, a teenage/under-age girl, the war in Manchuria, some cooking and all the other things Murakami seems confined to write about.

I think Quaterlyconversation said it well in their 1Q84 review

All this leads us to the unavoidable conclusion that after over 30 years and countless pages Murakami has very little left to say. If the mediocre books of the 2000s didn’t evidence it enough, this book does; in 1Q84 there is simply nothing that Murakami hasn’t said better elsewhere. I write this with a great sadness, as a reader who has loved Murakami’s novels and who feels a sense of shame at having to warn off other lovers of Murakami’s work. But there is no other verdict to register. 1Q84 is a great disappointment to the reputation Murakami has built as a writer, and it will not be remembered very favorably when assessing his legacy. It raises a serious doubt as to whether Murakami has anything left to tell us.

I hope Murakami will prove them wrong but even I have lost some hope when it comes to Murakami and his new work.
Edit. I did like Kafka on the Shore. That was mainly due to Nakata and Hoshino story, didn't give a crap about Kafka and his boring ass side of the story.

Might as well ask here. So I kinda started reading Dance Dance Dance(100+ pages) and have only just realized its a freaking sequel to Wild Sheep Chase?! Should I go back and read that first? Also I read that Wild Sheep Chase was influenced by Conrad's Heart of Darkness which I literally just finished today so I'm doubly interested. Of course if there's little connection I might read it after but don't want to ruin anything. :(

Sweet! Can't wait, but I guess I will have to since translation takes forever. 1Q84 gets a bad rep. I thought it was pretty good, just way too long.

They translated 1Q84 rather fast considering it was three books and all released simultaneously in English. At this point Murakami has become so big in west that translations are fast-tracked so they can hit the shops same year as the original edition is released... Or at least I hope so :b

Might as well ask here. So I kinda started reading Dance Dance Dance(100+ pages) and have only just realized its a freaking sequel to Wild Sheep Chase?! Should I go back and read that first? Also I read that Wild Sheep Chase was influenced by Conrad's Heart of Darkness which I literally just finished today so I'm doubly interested. Of course if there's little connection I might read it after but don't want to ruin anything. :(

I read Dance Dance Dance before I read A Wild Sheep Chase. There are some touching points but they are rather few. Plus, I found Dance Dance Dance to be a better novel, so I say stick to it.

Originally Posted by AAequal

I think Quaterlyconversation said it well in their 1Q84 review

I hope Murakami will prove them wrong but even I have lost some hope when it comes to Murakami and his new work.
Edit. I did like Kafka on the Shore. That was mainly due to Nakata and Hoshino story, didn't give a crap about Kafka and his boring ass side of the story.

To be honest, I felt that way after just having read Dance Dance Dance and The Wind Up-Bird Chronicles. Read one of those (and maybe Norwegian Wood) and you've seen what Murakami has to offer.

I read Dance Dance Dance before I read A Wild Sheep Chase. There are some touching points but they are rather few. Plus, I found Dance Dance Dance to be a better novel, so I say stick to it.

To be honest, I felt that way after just having read Dance Dance Dance and The Wind Up-Bird Chronicles. Read one of those (and maybe Norwegian Wood) and you've seen what Murakami has to offer.

It kinda does feel like he mastered his form with Wind-up and after that it has been kinda downhill ride. Imo, Kafka was his last good book and only Nakato/Hosino side of the story was actually good, rest of the book not so interesting. Even the Nakato/Hoshino story went off the rails towards the end but after so many Murakami novels you are kinda used to it and expect things go off rails at some point.

Does anyone have any links to a good Kafka on the Shore analysis or something, I just finished reading it (my first Murakami book) and it was really good but, well, I don't really understand what I just read.

Oh man, I would love to do that. Though I fear there would still be a lot of subtle nuances lost on me :(

I can't imagine it'd be easy. I studied Japanese for a long time and was able to read through light novels and whatnot, but Murakami would be a totally different beast. I'm sure it'd be amazing though, that said the English translations are so fantastic I'm not really that bothered.

Does anyone have any links to a good Kafka on the Shore analysis or something, I just finished reading it (my first Murakami book) and it was really good but, well, I don't really understand what I just read.

That's just the Murakami effect. You read his stuff, and then come away with only a vague sense of what you've just read - like a dream.

Ontopic - I want to read this, hopefully it doesn't take long to come over.

Murakami said this was originally just a short story, and he kept on writing, hence the generally short length - the last time he wrote in this particular way was Norwegian Wood. It sounds like the antithesis of 1Q84 (brevity!)

I can't imagine it'd be easy. I studied Japanese for a long time and was able to read through light novels and whatnot, but Murakami would be a totally different beast. I'm sure it'd be amazing though, that said the English translations are so fantastic I'm not really that bothered.

Oh man, I would love to do that. Though I fear there would still be a lot of subtle nuances lost on me :(

Originally Posted by ramyeon

I can't imagine it'd be easy. I studied Japanese for a long time and was able to read through light novels and whatnot, but Murakami would be a totally different beast. I'm sure it'd be amazing though, that said the English translations are so fantastic I'm not really that bothered.

Also, I feel like you would have to understand the Japanese culture fairly well to comprehend some of the subtle touches too.

If I can read a Murakami novel in Japanese, that would be definitive proof of my fluency. Even though, I cannot at the moment, it isn't too bothersome because like Ramyeon said, the English translations are great. Before taking Japanese, I never realized how difficult it is translating Japanese to English; those two languages are like oil and water mixing together.

There is a good chance this being a prequel for 1Q84 or even fourth part. At least that what's Murakami hinted in Spain some year ago. I really hope this is something totally new. Well, I know it's going to be about a everyday man thrown into bizarre situation and him not giving up his everyday man manners while dealing with the bizarre situation.